1
: having, relating to, or being the relationship between a foster parent and the child who the foster parent cares for
Although both girls lived with Ms. Ayala, Millison was the only one who was officially placed in her care as a foster child.—
Ian Fisher
Ian FisherTwenty-three foster children now have a place to call home and family of their own following the Adoption Day at the Williamson County Courthouse in Marion on Friday.—Holly Kee
Holly Keea foster mother/father
her new foster brother/sister
living with a foster family
children in foster care
foster parenting
the foster system
2
: being, relating to, or involved in a situation in which temporary care is given to an animal (such as one that is injured or awaiting adoption) in a household or similar setting
foster pets
a foster dog/cat/puppy/kitten
found foster placements for the animals
For the past year, Melbourne social impact strategy consultant Lee Crockford has been a foster dad to Romeo, an adorable Labrador puppy and future seeing eye dog.—Shannon Molloy
Shannon Molloysee also foster home
fostered; fostering
ˈfȯ-st(ə-)riŋ 
ˈfä-
; fosters
1
a
: to act as a foster parent to (a child)
The couple said they get … updates and pictures from all the children they've fostered.—Patrick Edrich
Patrick Edrich
b
: to provide temporary care to (an animal that is injured, homeless, etc.) in a household or similar setting
… it's just her luck she'd find a partner who not only adores dogs but fosters them for a Sacramento animal shelter.—Gina Kim
Gina Kim2
: to promote the growth or development of : encourage
policies that foster cooperation
a lack of communication that fostered distrust
Grilling meat fosters the formation of potentially cancer-causing heterocyclic amines …—J. Raloff
J. RaloffThe dead grass rotted in the warm water, releasing nutrients that fostered algae.—Carl Hiaasen
Carl Hiaasen
Synonyms
Examples of foster in a Sentence
Verb
Such conditions foster the spread of the disease.
Would you consider fostering a child?
Recent Examples on the WebDarrell Smith, Sacramento Bee, 12 Apr. 2024
One of his missions is to impact the next generation of youth, through investing in youth athletics, foster care and after school programs.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2024
His love of tennis will shine a bright light and help those in L.A.’s foster care system.
—Gillian Telling, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024
Under the regulation, private child welfare agencies cannot place foster children in homes where the prospective parents or any other adults living in the house engage in homosexual activities.
—Eula Calahan , Micah Farmer, arkansasonline.com, 7 Apr. 2024
Some youth are sent to these treatment programs by their parents; others are foster kids ordered to attend by the courts.
—Anabel Sosa, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Several foster siblings came and went, and her mother experienced a miscarriage.
—Mansee Khurana, NPR, 3 Apr. 2024
And this country's foster care system that is ready to buckle at the slightest wind.
—Adiba Nelson, Parents, 3 Apr. 2024
Rodriguez-Singh did at one point lose custody of her children, leading to Noel’s placement as a foster child with Paris.
—James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Mar. 2024
Mary C. Murphy, TIME, 2 Apr. 2024
This technology fosters a deeper connection with the holiday's spiritual dimensions, making the sacred more accessible to everyone, regardless of geographical constraints.
—Neil Sahota, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
So far, those have been most evident around Metrorail and other transit stations and corridors such as the South Miami-Dade Busway where Miami-Dade has aggressively expanded special zones that have fostered dense and often high-rise construction.
—Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 29 Mar. 2024
Furthermore, the interactive and evolving nature of many NFTs adds a dynamic layer to the concept of collecting, allowing individuals to engage with their digital assets in innovative ways, fostering a deeper connection with the art and the artist behind it.
—Kyle Russell, Journal Sentinel, 28 Mar. 2024
In October, President Biden signed a sweeping executive order on AI that would foster expansion of AI tech by the government but also requires those who make large AI models to give the government information about their activities, in the interest of national security.
—Amanda Hoover, WIRED, 28 Mar. 2024
Jordan says encouraging your child to be engaged in confidence-building activities such as sports, performing arts, or volunteering in the community, is a great way to foster this life skill.
—Melissa Willets, Parents, 28 Mar. 2024
His projects aim to foster a vibrant literary culture in San Diego, highlighting the power of poetry to build solidarity, empower youth, and give voice to marginalized communities.
—David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Mar. 2024
Played with wry grandeur by Tim McIntire, Freed unites the musicians and their fans, and fosters new generations of both, in the face of official, racist, and reactionary opposition.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 19 Mar. 2024
Adjective
The doll drive, and the hundreds of dolls that will soon make their way to children in foster care, carries another sobering message: Black children make up about 20% of California’s youth in foster care.
—Darrell Smith, Sacramento Bee, 12 Apr. 2024
One of his missions is to impact the next generation of youth, through investing in youth athletics, foster care and after school programs.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 11 Apr. 2024
His love of tennis will shine a bright light and help those in L.A.’s foster care system.
—Gillian Telling, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024
Under the regulation, private child welfare agencies cannot place foster children in homes where the prospective parents or any other adults living in the house engage in homosexual activities.
—Eula Calahan , Micah Farmer, arkansasonline.com, 7 Apr. 2024
Some youth are sent to these treatment programs by their parents; others are foster kids ordered to attend by the courts.
—Anabel Sosa, Los Angeles Times, 4 Apr. 2024
Several foster siblings came and went, and her mother experienced a miscarriage.
—Mansee Khurana, NPR, 3 Apr. 2024
And this country's foster care system that is ready to buckle at the slightest wind.
—Adiba Nelson, Parents, 3 Apr. 2024
Rodriguez-Singh did at one point lose custody of her children, leading to Noel’s placement as a foster child with Paris.
—James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 Mar. 2024
Verb
Our work shows that cultures of genius are also more likely to foster unhealthy competition, infighting, and unethical behavior, including cheating.
—Mary C. Murphy, TIME, 2 Apr. 2024
This technology fosters a deeper connection with the holiday's spiritual dimensions, making the sacred more accessible to everyone, regardless of geographical constraints.
—Neil Sahota, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
So far, those have been most evident around Metrorail and other transit stations and corridors such as the South Miami-Dade Busway where Miami-Dade has aggressively expanded special zones that have fostered dense and often high-rise construction.
—Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 29 Mar. 2024
Furthermore, the interactive and evolving nature of many NFTs adds a dynamic layer to the concept of collecting, allowing individuals to engage with their digital assets in innovative ways, fostering a deeper connection with the art and the artist behind it.
—Kyle Russell, Journal Sentinel, 28 Mar. 2024
In October, President Biden signed a sweeping executive order on AI that would foster expansion of AI tech by the government but also requires those who make large AI models to give the government information about their activities, in the interest of national security.
—Amanda Hoover, WIRED, 28 Mar. 2024
Jordan says encouraging your child to be engaged in confidence-building activities such as sports, performing arts, or volunteering in the community, is a great way to foster this life skill.
—Melissa Willets, Parents, 28 Mar. 2024
His projects aim to foster a vibrant literary culture in San Diego, highlighting the power of poetry to build solidarity, empower youth, and give voice to marginalized communities.
—David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Mar. 2024
Played with wry grandeur by Tim McIntire, Freed unites the musicians and their fans, and fosters new generations of both, in the face of official, racist, and reactionary opposition.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 19 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'foster.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Adjective and Verb
Middle English, from Old English fōstor-, from fōstor food, feeding; akin to Old English fōda food
First Known Use
Adjective
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of foster was
before the 12th century
Phrases Containing foster
Dictionary Entries Near foster
Cite this Entry
“Foster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/foster. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
foster
1 of 2 adjective
fos·ter
ˈfȯs-tər
ˈfäs-
: giving, receiving, or sharing parental care even though not related by blood or legal ties
foster parent
foster child
Legal Definition
foster
1 of 2 adjective
fos·ter
: affording, receiving, or sharing nurture or parental care though not related by blood or legal relationships
a foster child
a foster parent
foster
2 of 2 transitive verb
fostered; fostering
: to give parental care to
Biographical Definition
Foster 1 of 2
biographical name (1)
Fos·ter
ˈfȯ-stər
ˈfä-
Stephen Collins 1826–1864 American songwriter
Foster
2 of 2biographical name (2)
William Z(ebulon) 1881–1961 American Communist
More from Merriam-Webster on foster
Nglish: Translation of foster for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of foster for Arabic Speakers
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